“Tom Crean has done a great job at Indiana,” Boo Williams said. “Crean’s done a great job this summer of coming to watch him in games, being there. And then the history of Indiana just made it one of the schools he’d like to visit.”

Williams also has offers from North Carolina, Florida, Georgetown and Louisville, among others. Boo Williams said he expects Troy Williams to be a spring signing because he “wants to consider his options.”

Williams will also take an unofficial visit to North Carolina on Oct. 12, according to Zagoria.

If he waits until spring, there may not be his spot. I have a strong feeling that someone will commit in late Oct.

HoosierGrad07

Well they can verbally commit in Oct but won’t be able to officially sign until the spring because we are already over signed for next season. Only the 4 players we currently have will be able to officially sign. So I think it’s a good sign he’s waiting until spring, I have a feeling anyone else we add will wait until spring to decide since there’s no guarantees of a spot for them until then.

Or if he waits until spring and a couple of guys go pro, there likely will be a spot.

IUDan

I know TC loves his wings . . . Troy seems like a 3 (2), so given that, is Devin Davis looked at as more of a 4?

Derbus

You know, next year Jeremy, Hanner, Peter, and Yogi will be sophs; the 2013 class will be solid. 2014 will shape up to be amazing, with or without Trey. I am happy with the direction of the program. I think CTC should get Coach of the Year this year regardless of how we finish the season!

gerald

which guys?

inLinE6

Look at 2014 targets and forward. I believe we’re only recruiting top tier now. Even those who already committed that are not considered “top tier”, they were outstanding (#1 or #2 in the State) when they were offered. Don’t panic.

Man, these coaches are really earning their money on the recruiting trail. Just trying to follow it all on this board is crazy. It’s got to be hard to stay cool while waiting for a bunch of 16 and 17 year olds to decide the future of Indiana basketball.

stevetodd73

There are going to be a transfer or two I bet. Someone is going to want more minutes! Hate to even think who it might or could be.

I just saw some at my local kohls for 50$ish, look for a kohls coupon, also just about any store in btown that sells clothes has them.

HoosierTrav

I believe Boo Williams is Troys uncle. Not trying to school you or anything. Just for future reference.

Corey Martin

You say you love any player who commits to IU like you are a die-hard fa but then you say some guys who have committed are not good enough for you?? I think your putting a little bit too much stock in ESPN Rankings. Every year there are guys who are ranked in the top 50 who dont amount to anything and then there are several guys ranked 100-200 in their class and become stars. All of our commits for 12′, 13′, and 14′ are ranked in the top 100 in their class(except for Hatman who is not far behind an coul rise into the top 100) so they have the talent to develop into very good to great players. You dont want IU to turn into the next Kentucky with a bunch of one and dones do you?

marcusgresham

Some of the guys there don’t have the highest ratings, but they’re guys who fill needs. Hartman is a shooter, Davis a rebounding machine, Fischer (who I’m personally dying to see in cream and crimson,) is a solid big man, and like others have said, who has Crean had so far who seemed to not live up to expectations?

Wow! He’s similar, although plays a different position, to Hanner, Victor, and Yogi with regards to entertainment factor. He’s so athletic, good at the game, and so aggressive that you can’t take your eyes off the guy or you may miss some amazing play. What a treat if we had 3 buddies (Stan, BeeJay, and Troy) from the DC area come in and tear it up. That would really establish the long-term talent pools of the state of Indiana + Baltimore/DC area creating a talent feeder platform that could keep IU at a peak level for as long as Coach Crean is with us. If Indiana doesn’t have a strong center (Cody), move to DC area (BeeJay). I realize Wisconsin, Florida, and other places will have guys but I think it makes it easier if there are a couple friends coming together versus making a bold move by yourself like Will did.

If Troy can shoot the deep ball as well as everything seen on the video, he’s a Kobe type player, scoring machine.

Arch_Puddington

Holy cow. Any of the players we are working on for 2013 would be great, but if these highlights are any indication, this is the one we want. Can you imagine losing out on Ojeleye, but ending up with this kid instead? If anything, he looks more athletic than Ojeleye, and his highlights include some defense. In Crean’s uptempo system is MADE for guys like him.

CreanFaithful

I have trouble discrediting a kid before he ever lands on campus. A few of the 2013 guys may not be considered the “best” players nationally, but time will tell what they are capable of. With the exception of a certain team who I won’t mention by name, most contender teams always include solid 4 year players who understand the system, can provide veteran leadership and continue to grow physically/fundamentally during their tenure.

Stan is already a stud. I see Davis being a fan favorite by the time he leaves with his work horse mentality and physical abilities. Hartman can fill it up from anywhere and can do it off balance. With his frame, he could be a sleeper. That leaves Fischer, who has un-coachable height and the rare ability to use both hands. As he puts on weight and gets Big-Ten adjusted, he will frustrate teams in the paint.

CreanFaithful

I really like this kids physical abilities. I had seen other videos on him but not this one. This might be my favorite. Just, wow!

So we have Beejay Anya and Troy Williams going to HH. WERE going have to chant for both players. What are the odds we land Anya,Meeks or Williams. I have a feeling we dont land any of em. It could just be me anybody have any thoughts?

dtfreed

AE probably won’t but let’s see this year, oh he won’t see time this year either.

Darrell

It will be great if we can actually begin to play games in the DC metropolitan area so that the parents of these kids are able to see them. I would love to see us play University of Maryland or Georgetown in a series.

jahhoosier

First, part of the very momentum you now associate with the program came from the early signings of the players you’re questioning.

Second, Tom Crean’s track record with the identification of the kind of player he wants from lower down in the ratings, and then the development of these players is as good as anybody in the country.

Third, Crean may be particularly good at it but players from lower down in the rankings regularly succeed beyond those rankings’ prediction. If Cody does not win player of the year, three-star Doug McDermott may well and not one, NOT ONE, ranking service in the RSCI had him in their top 100…and it’s been barely more than 24 short months since the final RSCI rankings come out.

Fourth, the kids you are not naming are from Indiana, and thus know all the little things about playing in a structured game that do not win points in summer but win games in winter.

Fifth, even if the players in question do not turn out to starters, and they may well, every team that wants to win championships needs players who take on a role and then go fulfill it. Thirteen five stars is a) not going to happen and b) has a poor track record as a formula for success in college.

Finally, it is the nature of recruiting to assume that every kid your college recruits loves your school just as much as you do and there is some other factor that causes them not to commit. However, it is simply not the case that any or all of these kids would sign were it not for the scholarship crunch. Whereas, the players you question DO love your school enough to commit to it. And they’re darn good players who I appreciate greatly for that commitment. These other recruits? At this point, they are all just part of the group of literally thousands I’ve heard about over the years whom my alma mater contacted but who never ended up signing a letter of intent because they were worried about playing time, or because IU backed off, or because another school was more attractive, or because another school paid them, or because it rained one day and was sunny the next.

Matt

Whoa nelly! Chill out. Yeah, I didn’t call anyboy out because I am not going to single out an IU player and badmouth him. And yes I do put somefaith in all ESPN, Rivals and Scout combined. If a guy is not on a single one of their radars as an elite player, then it concerns me. No I do not want a bunch of one and dones. An occasional one and done doesn’t bother me though. I would like to see more guys in the 20-50 range; of which there are none in the 2013 class. It’s tough to compete for championships with a roster full of 80-110s. Plus, you say these players fill certain needs. We need all around players, not specialists. If a guy is a rebounding machine but can’t shoot, that’s an offensive liability that other teams will take advantage of. If a guy can shoot lights out but can’t play “D”, we have a problem that coaches will capitalize on.

Pritch24

Ok, seriously everyone needs to watch this video. I always thought we needed Anya or Meeks more than Troy, but after watching this, I think Luke Fischer will do as a big man for this class. I realize that you have to try not to take too much from highlights tapes, but man, this kid is Kobe-esque.

Arch_Puddington

Your points are well taken, but which of the early commits has done us any good? The reality is that all the players who have rebuilt the program committed late. Zeller, Creek, Watford, Oladipo, Hulls, and Sheehey all committed as seniors (or at least after their junior year of basketball was over), and most of “The Movement” committed as juniors.

The early commits, meanwhile, have been mixed at best. Etherington will have trouble getting on the court, and Hartmann may as well. Lyles has decommitted, and the fallout from that is not yet clear. Blackmon has been injured, and only time will tell if he a) heals, and b) stays committed. Even Patterson, who I believe was the earliest of “The Movement” to commit as a junior, has not panned out. Davis looks great, but other than him I would argue we have lost more than we have gained by taking so many early commitments.

Without mentioning names B1G officials would call a T on those stare downs. Iffy on TW

Arch_Puddington

Which of the early commits has contributed to the momentum of the program? None of them have made contributions on the court, nor have any of them brought along any other commitments. I mean, it was exciting when Lyles committed, and there was all kinds of hope that his presence would lead to other top players coming here, but we know how that has turned out. Among those who committed prior to their junior year, who do you believe has actually helped the program?

jahhoosier

The original members of the 2013 class committed on 11/21/2010. They were they eighth and ninth at that time HIGHLY rated commitments to Indiana in the span of roughly three months. Exactly three days after those two 2013 Hoosiers committed, Yogi Ferrell became a Hoosier.

There was an enormous buzz that erupted over the program, and a perception of momentum not associated with IU since at least the 2002-2003 season. The commitment of the two highest rated players in Indiana’s 2013 high school class was very much at the center of that buzz and momentum. Suddenly, Indiana was back to being the destination for Indiana’s best high school talent, or so the thinking went, and Crean was not only on his way to “closing the borders” but leaving Purdue his scraps.

I really do not know how anyone who can remember that Autumn of 2010 could question that that became the narrative, or that the 2013 commitments were central to it.

Jake

The Sheehey/Oladipo class was also considered “weak” and they’ve both been great for us the time they’ve been here. Rankings=/= how good they’ll be in college.

Arch_Puddington

Surely you don’t meant to say that Yogi’s commitment was because of Davis and Hartmann. Yogi’s commitment was more or less directly in response to Cody Zeller’s, which had come a couple of weeks earlier. Davis and Hartmann were a result of that wave of momentum, not the cause. Since their commitments, we have landed two out of state players (Fischer and Robinson) and one underclassman (Blackmon), none of whom had anything to do with Davis or Hartmann. So, my point remains: none of the early commits, which I define as coming prior to the junior year, have yet benefitted our program, and in fact they may well have done some harm by limiting our options and creating some unnecessary controversy.

stevetodd73

2011 & 2012 class was orchestrated by AE! everybody had something to say about him being our best recruiter for IU long before he was here! I don’t know how different things would be if he would not have been offered a scholarship, but he much like agent Zero are huge to the program and we will see these offers over the years and that’s the way it always has been and always will be!

This kid is nasty. I’m really up in the air anymore about who I prefer we get but it just seems like we are having to work for Anya pretty hard and this kid looks as good. I think we will be fine no matter who we end up with, CC hasn’t let us down yet.

Oldguyy

No question that given IU’s success, they will be able to lure better players in the future. What isn’t clear, at least to me, is that the ratings services are superior to Coach Crean in determining which players will do well both in college in general and in the particular case of the location, culture and player environment at IU. I believe what people objected to was your passing judment on the 2013 recruits based simply on their ratings, particularly given the fact that those rating continually change.

SCHoosier

great idea…when they can schedule it.

CreanFaithful

What is your point? None have them have played a game yet… Crean does the recruiting. He may strategically have more interest in a player that might facilitate another signing, but that is the doing of Crean – not the player. Theses kids contributions or lack thereof will be measured on the court. Not before they lace them up. The program is in excellent shape and will remain that way.

Arch_Puddington

Look above; someone else argued that one of the benefits of the early commits is that they have helped create “momentum” in the program. If you find that an odd argument, then we agree. My post challenged that opinion by asking which of them has actually done so. The only answers I have been given so far are that a) Yogi Ferrell committed because of Colin Hartmann and Devin Davis, which is demonstrably untrue, and b) that Will Sheehey and Victor Oladipo came here because of Austin Etherington, which is harder to disprove, but just as untrue.

The program is indeed in excellent shape, and ultimately that is my point. We have returned from the ash heap to #1 without any help from early commits. All the players who have actually helped the program thus far, from Abell to Zeller (get it?), committed as juniors or seniors. Given the uncertainty and even controversy associated with the early commits, I question both the wisdom and usefulness of making offers to 9th and 10th graders. It doesn’t mean I’m not a fan — heck, I love my wife, but don’t always agree with her — it just means I don’t like this particular policy.

marcusgresham

It would probably have to be Georgetown due to potential conflicts with the B1G/ACC Challenge (George Washington, American, and Howard are there, too. lol)

CreanFaithful

Well said. I understand your point. In the same breath, I’m not sure that you can say early signings have hurt us… Crean has never stopped recruiting despite having more offers out than we can accept. I don’t see how Lyles has hurt us in anyway. CTC saw the ability in Lyles and offered first – smart move in my book. Meanwhile we are still hopping in on 2013 recruits, so obviously we have plenty of time to find someone else to give that 2014 scholly to. The Patterson thing was dependent on acedemic success over the summer, so that would have happened despite his early commitment. Blackmon is the only argument I see, but even still, he is an elite player at the highschool level who has yet to play in college. If he comes to IU and is hampered by this highschool basketball related injury, then I will agree with you. But even then our team will be loaded with talent and contending for titles and it won’t matter.

Arch_Puddington

Your points are all fair, and I won’t belabor my own. It would be sad to lose out on a potential star like Troy Williams, but even if we do, the program is loaded. Other good players will come along, and we should be a top 10 team for many years to come. If we could just get Cody to stick around 1 more year….

DarkSouth

Howard would be a great because Gus Johnson would bend over backwards to call it. Besides, Maryland can’t be scheduled and the Big East is lame now.